While there are a number of concessions that the novice cook has to deal with, attempting to work with dull knives is absolutely unacceptable. A sharp, dependable knife is essential to an effective and efficient cooking process. Not only can a bad knife slow down the cooking process, but it can be unsafe as well. While the idea of an extremely sharp knife tends to scare some people, it is the dull knife that poses more of a threat. Most people cut themselves with knives when they have to apply extra force and the blade slides off the object instead of moving cleanly through it. For this reason, it is important to care for your knives in a manner that will ensure that they remain sharp.
Minimize Personal Access
While this may seem a little off keel, and slightly rude, limiting who uses your knives will go a long way in ensuring that they remain sharp. Every time that a person who does not know how to use a knife cuts with your knife, they will likely diminish its sharpness of even damage it. So, make your knives your “personal arsenal,” and keep them to yourself. The better that you take care of a knife the longer it will last, and the sharper it will be.
Having Your Knives Sharpened by Professional Sharpeners
While many professional cooks will insist that their knives are sharpened by a professional sharpener, the truth is that professional sharpeners have been known to screw up entire knife sets. If you have a professional sharpener that has done work for you before, and you know that you can trust them, good. However, another option is to take the time to learn how to sharpen your own blades, and always use a sharpening stone.
Use a Quality Wood Cutting Board
The cutting surface is immensely important in protecting the sharpness of a knife blade. Walnut cutting boards, and a number of other wood cutting boards, offered by wood cutting boards, are not only safe for knives, but they are immensely durable — meaning that you will be able to enjoy the board and the knives for years to come.
Knives are like any other product; the better that you take care of them, the better they will perform. The aforementioned recommendations are a good place to start when it comes to properly caring for your cutlery.
